All vehicles, whether passenger or commercial, include a number of gauges, indicators, and various other displays to provide the vehicle operator with information regarding the vehicle and its surroundings. With the advent of new technologies, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), has come a variety of new gauges and information displays that help guide drivers to better learn, understand and trust the operation of these vehicles that utilize new technology. For example, many HEVs incorporate gauges that attempt to provide the driver with information on the various hybrid driving states. Some gauges will indicate to the driver when the vehicle is being propelled by the engine alone, the motor alone, or a combination of the two. Similarly, a display may indicate when the motor is operating as a generator, and is recharging an energy storage device, such as a battery.
It is known that some drivers may not be able to achieve desired fuel economy or energy efficiency numbers, in part because of driving habits. In many cases, drivers are willing to modify their behavior, but are unable to translate recommended techniques into real changes in their driving habits. With the increase in sensing electronics, computers and other related technology on board a vehicle, the amount of information that can be communicated to the driver is virtually limitless. Often, the driver may not even know of all the features and capabilities their vehicle has to offer. Utilizing human-machine interfaces (HMI) to convey or display certain types of information, particularly information relevant to HEVs, PHEVs or BEVs, can help facilitate economical driving choices.